Mets at the break

Tim Farrell/The Star LedgerJohan Santana waves to the Citi Field crowd after hurling first no-hitter in franchise history

THE HIGHS

1. The Mets set the tone for this surprising season on its first day. April 5 was a brisk afternoon at Citi Field, when the stars aligned for the start of the year. Johan Santana pitched six scoreless innings and David Wright provided the game’s only RBI in a 1-0 victory over Atlanta. The Mets showed early they would not wobble under the weight of low expectations.

2. From May 22 to June 18, over the course of six starts, no one could touch starter R.A. Dickey. He posted a 0.18 ERA in that time, befuddling hitters with his knuckleball and wowing the country in the process. DickeyMania caught fire, and led to his first All-Star appearance, at age 37.

3. The unlikeliest homer of the season belonged to rookie Jordany Valdespin. On May 7, inside Citizens Bank Park, Valdespin took star closer Jonathan Papelbon deep for a stunning three-run blast. The homer put the Mets ahead, greasing the skids for the Phillies ongoing collapse and only adding more confidence to their own clubhouse.

THE LOWS

1. Merely seconds after Manny Acosta let go of the ball, Giancarlo Stanton’s blast crashed into the demonic home run statute at Marlins Park on May 13. Closer Frank Francisco had already blown the save, leading to speculation he might lose his job. It was an ugly way to end a road trip.

2. Remember D.J. Carrasco? His final acts as a Met were most curious. On May 15, he plunked Ryan Braun, igniting an internal fire in the Mets dugout. David Wright screamed at Terry Collins for taking him out of the game, as Carrasco pleaded innocent to starting a beanball war. The next day, Carrasco gave up a homer and promptly was cut.

3. Mike Pelfrey entered the season with low expectations surrounding him. But his presence was still considered important in the club’s rotation. The Mets expected he could throw 200 innings. Instead, he tore his ulnar collateral ligament and required season-ending Tommy John surgery. His career as a Met is likely over. Before Chris Young could join the team, the Mets patched the hole with mediocre performances from Miguel Batista, Chris Schwinden and Jeremy Hefner.

THE STUD

David Wright – He’s been better than ever before, boasting career-highs in batting average (..351), on-base percentage (.441) and slugging percentage (.563). Wright carried the team for stretches in the first half, and the Mets can only hope he keeps up the pace. Even with some regression expected, he’s found a consistency at the plate that’s admirable.

THE DUD

Ike Davis – Yes, he’s reclaimed some dignity with his recent upswing. But lest we forget: Davis plays first base. He is not paid for his defense (which is still exemplary). He is paid to mash baseballs. So any first half with a .659 on-base plus slugging percentage, even in an offensively-depressed era, won’t cut it.

MOMENT TO RECALL

Of course the highest of highs was June 1, when Johan Santana finally ended the Mets’ ignominious streak without a no-hitter. The first in franchise history was a magical moment at Citi Field, as Santana put a stamp on his comeback from anterior capsule surgery. With a career-high 134 pitches, he pushed himself – and the heart of manager Terry Collins – to the limit on an electrifying night.

MOMENT TO FORGET

Jon Rauch’s anger told the story. He was furious with himself after serving up a walk-off homer to Russell Martin on June 10. His misplaced slider completed a Subway Series sweep at the hands of the Yankees, and the Mets appeared to be back-sliding back to oblivion. Their bullpen remains a chief concern heading into the second half.

THE REASONS TO LOOK AHEAD

1. Dillon Gee’s blood clot has thrown a wrench into the team’s second half plans. Team officials banked on the stability of their starting rotation. Now they’ll have to consider their options, including promoting top prospect Matt Harvey – ahead of the schedule they’ve treated as gospel during his two seasons in the organization.

2. What does Jason Bay have left? His presence will be key, as the team hopes he can return from the disabled list (concussion) late next week. If Bay is even above average as a left fielder, the Mets will have a solid right-handed hitter to complement their lefty-heavy lineup. If not? Well, the Mets will have to get creative.

3. The bullpen needs to be improved. The first wave to bolster the relief corps should be an internal infusion. Josh Edgin gets promoted on Friday. Frank Francisco should return from the disabled list soon. Jenrry Mejia may arrive later this month. But if that isn’t enough, the Mets will be searching for external options on the trade market.